'When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras' - the old adage is well-known to GPs but what should you do when faced with a zebra, not a horse? Consultant cardiologist Professor Robert Tulloh and GP Dr Louise Tulloh kick off our new series with their advice on how to catch Kawasaki disease in general practice.

GP training
in trouble

Further to your news snippet (15 October), GPs refer patients to GUM clinics not for a prescription for proven chlamydia (we can do that ourselves) but for specialist services that we have neither the time, skills, nor funding to provide in primary care.

These include: counselling about promiscuity and associated relationship problems; testing for other STDs; contact tracing; full confidential advice on risk avoidance and contraceptive choices; and chlamydia testing.

GPs recognise the significant risks to the physical and emotional health of the community posed by chlamydia.

These risks should be addressed by properly trained specialists; just treating the presenting case leaves the epidemic to run rife in the community.